sway

plural sways

1. countableuncountableThe act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.
2. countableuncountableA rocking or swinging motion.

   The old song caused a little sway in everyone in the room.

3. countableuncountableInfluence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side

   I doubt I'll hold much sway with someone so powerful.

   2 more examples

   Though both Mr. Knight and Mr. Hennessey view themselves as traders first, the “finfluencer” culture has flourished with the surge in online interest, and they have considerable sway.

   2021 April 28, Tara Siegel Bernard, “Trading Stock Tips on TikTok, Newbies Are Deeply Invested in Learning”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   […] the slowly dawning realisation that, as the billionaire venture capitalist Michael Moritz put it, they have “no sway” over what they unleashed.

   2025 June 9, Gaby Hinsliff, quoting Michael Moritz, “Trump has unleashed something terrifying in the US – that even he may be powerless to control”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

4. countableuncountablePreponderance; turn or cast of balance.
5. countableuncountableRule; dominion; control; power.

   Prayuth's return as prime minister takes Thailand back to 1980s. Military still holds sway in a democracy that has yet to mature.

   2019 June 8, Toru Takahashi, “Prayuth's return as prime minister takes Thailand back to 1980s”, in Nikkei Asian Review, Nikkei Inc, retrieved 09 Jun 2019

   1 more example

   Prospero:[…]Confederates / (ſo drie he was for Sway) with King of Naples / To giue him Annuall tribute, doe him homage / Subiect his Coronet, to his Crowne and bend / The Dukedom yet vnbow'd (alas poore Millaine) / To moſt ignoble ſtooping.

   1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]

6. countableuncountableA switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.
7. countableuncountableautomotiveThe maximum amplitude of a vehicle's lateral motion.
8. countableuncountableSynonym of sweet flag (“Acorus calamus”)

   Synonyms: sweet flag

present singular third person sways · participle present swaying · participle past swayed · past swayed

1. intransitiveTo move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.

   sway to the music

   3 more examples

   The trees swayed in the breeze.

   Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of mauve-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines.

   1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “Afterglow”, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC, page 168

   The screen door slams, Mary's dress sways / Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays

   1975, Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road”, in Born to Run, performed by Bruce Springsteen

2. transitiveTo move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield.

   to sway the sceptre

   1 more example

   As sparckles from the Anduile vse to fly, / When heauie hammers on the wedge are swaid

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 42

3. transitiveTo influence or direct by power, authority, persuasion, or by moral force; to rule; to govern; to guide. Compare persuade.

   Do you think you can sway their decision?

   2 more examples

   This was the race / To sway the world, and land and sea subdue.

   1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC

   After all this time […] the woman who endured all that by focusing on her hit list can be swayed from her course by the prospect of her family and her home.

   2017 July 23, Brandon Nowalk, “The great game begins with a bang on Game Of Thrones (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club, archived from the original on 26 Jul 2017

4. transitiveTo cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; to warp.

   reeds swayed by the wind

   2 more examples

   judgment swayed by passion

   Let not temporal and little advantages sway you against a more durable interest.

   1664, John Tillotson, “Sermon I. The Wisdom of Being Religious. Job XXVIII. 28.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], London: […] B. Aylmer, […]; [a]nd W. Rogers, […], published 1696, →OCLC

5. transitivenauticalTo hoist (a mast or yard) into position.

   to sway up the yards

6. To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.

   euen in these Personall Respects, the Ballance swayes on our part: […]

   a. 1627 (date written), Francis [Bacon], “Considerations Touching a Warre with Spaine. […]”, in William Rawley, editor, Certaine Miscellany Works of the Right Honourable Francis Lo. Verulam, Viscount S. Alban. […], London: […] I. Hauiland for Humphrey Robinson, […], published 1629, →OCLC, page 64

7. To have weight or influence.

   The example of sundry churches […] doth sway much.

   [1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page)

8. To bear sway; to rule; to govern.

   Hadst thou swayed as kings should do.

   1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene v]

1. A village and civil parish in New Forest district, Hampshire, England (OS grid ref SZ2798).